Solid organ transplantation provides life-saving treatment for end-stage organ disease but is associated with substantially elevated cancer risk, largely due to the need to maintain long-term immunosuppression. Despite previous research, important research questions remain concerning the role of immunosuppression and other factors in causing cancer in the setting. Staff at two federal agencies, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will link a database containing information on U.S. transplant recipients, wait list candidates, and donors to multiple U.S. cancer registries. These data will be used to conduct research concerning the spectrum of cancer risk in transplant recipients. The data will also be used by HRSA in its public health role overseeing the U.S. solid organ transplant network to maintain and improve safety of organ transplantation.
